Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 7, 2015
• Invested on: November 18, 2015

For his contributions to science, notably for improving the way we measure the speed of light.

Kenneth Baird has made significant contributions to both fundamental research and applied science. As the head of optical physics at the National Research Council of Canada, he was a leader in metrology, the science of precise physical measurement. He played a key role in using light waves to define the standard International Metre, resulting in greater accuracy in calculations. He also co-led the efforts to update the precise values of the speed of light, and helped develop a technique for coating documents with reflective film that helps protect our currency against counterfeiting